Unsung
by Amaryillis
Summary: Karen Davidson can barely remember peoples names and faces, despite having been at Beacon Hills High for the past three years. Had that one lacrosse player always been a werewolf? And since when did Peter Hale have a nephew? Was she really that unobservant, or was something really strange happening in Beacon Hills? Peter/OC...eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**Unsung**

_Chapter One: The Hale Family_

* * *

The evening shift at the clinic was boring.

Honestly there was very few times when the clinic _wasn't_ boring, what with the boring nature of its patients.

That was mean. She shouldn't say that kind of thing. Patty, the head orderly, had berated her time and time again for her disrespectful ways with the patients.

'They're people too, Karen. Some of them can hear you.'

But there were reasons Karen worked in the long term care clinic, rather than the maternity ward where she'd originally been hired. And those reasons were called 'Bad bedside manner', 'more pay' and 'less babies'.

She didn't really understand why she had to be _nice_ to the coma patients. If they were actually bothered they'd wake up and tell her to shut up - which was kind of the point. If she annoyed someone into consciousness would she get a raise?

Karen stripped the sheet from Mr. Thompson's bed with a small smirk on her face. The other orderly, Jamie, had drawn the short straw and was currently giving the 89 year old coma patient a sponge bath.

She dumped the armful of sheets into her cart, rubbing a few loose strands of hair out of her face as she checked the tiny little stopwatch she kept on her cart. Only 2 more hours. She sighed, and looked at the clock on the wall. It was nine, if she finished early maybe she could get out of here early and actually go to bed early before school started tomorrow.

"Excuse me?"

Karen jumped slightly and turned to see a woman standing behind her. She frowned for a moment, looking around, then then back to the woman who was staring at her with large questioning eyes.

"Um…" Karen fidgeted, "Can I help you?"

"Yes." The girl smiled, but it didn't quit reach her eyes, "I was looking for my Uncle…er- Peter Hale?"

Karen actually paused at that, looking at the girl up and down. She looked a bit like Peter - she could see it in the blue eyes and sharp facial structure. But instead of Peter's blonde hair, this woman had long strands of dark brown hair that fell straight around her face.

Karen had been at the hospital for three years now, a volunteer and then as an orderly once she turned eighteen, and in her entire time there she'd never seen anyone visit Peter Hale. She hadn't even been aware he had any family left.

Karen pursed her lips, "Didn't you sign in with the front desk?"

"Yes." The woman replied quickly, "I just…I can't remember the room number."

Karen was still a bit suspicious of the twitchy girl, but the family resemblance was obvious enough that Karen nodded and pointed to the last room on the left. The woman thanked her quickly before walking down the hall like a woman on a mission, vanishing into the bedroom.

It was the first and last time she had seen that woman.

Actually, it was the last time _anyone_ had seen her.

* * *

The next day the high school was abuzz with news.

Everyone was huddled int their groups, the freshmen sticking with each other, making their new cliques and friends. The sophomores walked like they owned the place, the confidence that came with no longer being freshman. Lydia Martin strolled by with her hair in perfect curls, strutting up towards the school. The juniors were in a state of numbness, just looking to get through the day without falling asleep.

And the seniors, the category Karen fell into, we're all milling around with wide smiles on their faces, looking forward to graduation. After all, it was the last first day of school they'd ever have.

She had chemistry first thing in the morning, which had to be some sort of punishment. Nobody deserved to have Harris that early in the morning.

He stood at the front of the classroom, the look on his face was a permeant mixture of boredom and disgust.

"Alright." Harris' voice was soft and dull, but it still commanded the attention of the class who knew better than to keep talking, "As many of you have probably already heard, last night there was a body found on the preserve. Before you ask, no I have no information. And while I have little confidence in the matter, I'm sure that you'll be able to concentrate on the syllabus for the class, as well as your first day of notes."

There was a low groan that echoed through the class as everyone opened up their notebooks or pulling out a spare piece of paper.

Karen had a pinched look on her face as she pulled out a small notebook and opened it to the first page. Someone had _died_ last night?

It wasn't _that_ weird. She worked in a hospital and people died all the time. Back when she was fifteen and had first started volunteering, one of the women in the maternity ward had died. She'd blacked out soon after finding out about it and the next thing she remembered was sitting in her grandfathers car, tears stuck to her cheek. That had been her last day working in maternity.

But this wasn't someone dying in a hospital. Someone had died on the _preserve_. A murder maybe? In Beacon Hills?

A low buzz from her pocket made her frown and she gently pulled it out and looked at the text message.

_Sally: Please tell me you're not dead._

Karen snorted and complied a quick response.

_Karen: I wish._

Nothing else happened for the rest of the day. Well, nothing _important._ She got homework, got a second hand invite to a party on Friday night, and probably more summer gossip than she had needed.

She took the bus home to her tiny apartment that she'd inherited from her grandfather when he'd died. She hadn't brought herself to get rid of anything, so the floral furniture that still smelt like mothballs was in place, and the twenty year old television was still placed precariously on stacks of old National Geographic magazines

She threw her backpack on the pea soup green chair and wandered into the kitchen to pull out a carton of orange juice and taking a swing right from it.

Her cell phone started to buzz in her pocket, making her jump.

She yanked it out and opened it, not even looking to see who was calling, there was only one person in the world who knew her number.

"Hullo." Karen answered dryly.

_"You sound jam packed with enthusiasm."_ Her friend Sally joked through the line. _"But never mind that, tell me about this murder."_

Karen rolled her eyes, leaning against the kitchen island, "No murder, just an animal attack."

_"Well that's not very interesting."_

Karen snorted, "Sally be serious, someone died."

_"Like you're one to give lessons in tact."_ Sally retorted, chuckling softly. "_Nothing interesting ever happens in that crap-hole - when are you moving back to Seattle?"_

"Um…" Karen winced, wondering how exactly she was going to explain to her best friend that she had decided to stay in Beacon Hills after graduation, "I don't know yet. I mean…I still have a whole school year and...you know."

_"Have you started applying to schools yet?_" Sally urged.

Actually she had already started out her application to Beacon County Community College, but no way was she telling that to Sally, "Nope."

_"Well get on that girl."_ Sally snorted.

"I will." Karen flinched noticeably, "Look I have to get ready for work."

"_I still don't understand why you have that job Kare-Bear. You have more then enough money to pay your rent and College for at least six years."_

"I've already told you." Karen sighed, "I'm not gonna live off my Father and Grandfathers _life insurance._"

_"Well no one else is going to use it."_

Karen chuckled, "Look, I don't know when I'm moving - but I'll be sure to drive up for your birthday, alright?"

_"Obviously."_ Sally snorted, _"Anyway, I'll let you get back to your job and I'm gonna to get drunk like a responsible adult."_

Karen shook her head at her friend and started to get ready for work.

* * *

The long term care clinic was small - half because of the small size of Beacon Hills, and half because of the ever shrinking budget they had. There was only about a dozen residents, those who were permanently hospitalized, but not dying. It was depressing, but not as depressing as working in hospice.

She walked into Peter Hale's room near the end of her shift. He'd been here the longest out of everyone, six years in total. His nurse, Jennifer, was weirdly optimistic thought, constantly saying that he's snap out of it 'any day now'.

Karen wasn't so optimistic.

Peter was the same as he always was. Sitting, facing the window, his hands resting on his legs in the wheelchair. His face was relaxed and his pale blue eyes emotionless, his hair pushes back from his face where it curled back behind his ears.

The most noticeable thing about him were the scars. Half of his face was like melted wax, scarred and disfigured beyond recognition. She knew that the scaring went down his right arm, and over his chest, covering nearly half his body.

Karen had taken to calling him Harvey Dent when she had first met him - Jennifer hadn't like that at all.

"Hey there Two-Face." She smiled at him, moving to open the window. "It's nice out today. Gotta get you that Vitamin D."

He didn't respond - which really made him the perfect conversationalist for her.

"I'm gonna change your bed now." She moved to the sheets, unhooking them from the bed. She looked over at him and winced, "They still got you in that old man sweater huh? I'll have to talk to Jennifer about getting you into something more fitting of your age. Maybe some leather?"

Karen paused, looking down where there were brown stains that had been hidden by the scratchy hospital blanket. Blood.

"Are you bleeding?" She asked out loud, genuine concern moving into her voice. She may be somewhat of a bitch, but it didn't mean she didn't actually care about the patients.

She studied the scaring from the fire - looking for any open wounds. There shouldn't be anything, but continued down over his neck, unzipping his sweater to look over his collar bones.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think this was a ploy to get you out of these clothes." She jokingly winked. His face stayed expressionless.

She gave a one over his clothing, trying to see if there was any obvious wounds or blood stains, but she couldn't see anything.

"You seem okay…" Karen frowned, standing up, "Just speak up if anything hurts."

He didn't respond.

She shook her head, letting out a long sigh, "Yes, I know I'm a terrible person."

She imagined that in his head he agreed with her.

As she put the new sheets on his bed, she continued in her one sided conversation, "So they found a body in the woods last night - kind of weird. I feel like I shouldn't care, but it's kind of the most interesting thing to happen in this town in years. Or maybe I'm just morbid."

Nothing.

Karen tossed the dirty sheets into the cart, making a quick note on her chart about the blood. She moved into his private bathroom, which was immaculate except for the thinnest sheen of dust. Peter was catatonic, not in a coma like many of the patients. He'd eat, go to the bathroom, and even shower if you told him too. But other than the most basic necessities for life, Peter would only be found in his wheelchair, staring at the window like he was waiting for someone.

Once Karen had asked him who he was waiting for. He didn't answer her.

Maybe it was the girl from last night. The one with the round eyes and the thin face and the same dead look that Peter had.

"You had a visitor last night." Karen said as she grabbed a few clean towels from her cart. "Your niece, right?"

His finger twitched.

Karen stopped, holding the towels in her arms as she blinked at his hand.

It wasn't like she'd never seen him move. She'd stayed with him while he ate, feeding himself with slow methodical movements.

But he'd never responded to her talking before - in any way. He never twitched, flinched or even exhaled more out his nose.

He was still again, staring out the window.

Karen gathered up the towels and moved into his bathroom, "You must've had fun with her."

If Karen had been looking at Peter's face in that second she would have seen a bright flash of red, and the corner of his mouth twist upwards in a smirk.

* * *

"You coming to Lacrosse tryouts?" Chloe Smith asked her before English.

Karen blinked at her blankly- the two of them talked in class, but they never hung out or even conversed outside out school. Neither of them had many friends in school so they usually ended up sitting next to each other or being partners for class. Karen didn't even remember her name half the time, calling her 'partner' in her mind usually.

"I don't even go to lacrosse _games._" Karen gave her a weird look.

"Oh." Chloe nodded, looking embarrassed, "I heard that James is trying out."

Karen sorted through her backpack, not even looking up at the girl, "Who?"

Chloe blinked at her, "James? James…Porter? You've gone to school with him since freshman year?"

Karen paused, then shook her head, "Doesn't ring a bell. Why should I care that he's trying out?"

Chloe sucked in a breathe, her face bright red as she fidgeted, "Okay look. I like him, and I need someone to go with me so that I don't look like a total stalker watching him try out."

Karen looked up, pausing and then shrugging, "Okay."

"Okay?" Chloe frowned, "That's it?"

"Sure, whatever." Karen pulled out a pen with a frown, "I don't have any plans - I was just gonna go home and watch re-runs of Friends all night."

Chloe blinked, "Oh. Okay. Thank you."

Karen nodded, and inwardly gave herself a high five for talking to another human being without insulting them in some way.

"You hear about that girl who was killed?" Chloe asked in a conspiring whisper. Karen let out a deep sigh. Maybe that had been a mistake.

"Nope." Karen shrugged, doodling on her notebook, "Didn't even know it was a girl."

"Yeah, just a few years older than us." Chloe leaned in, "Apparently it was a cougar."

Karen grimaced, wrinkling her nose at the image in her mind. She didn't care who the girl was, nobody deserved to die that way.

* * *

"Why is Lacrosse so popular here?" Karen asked Chloe as she tried to keep her blond hair from flying in front of her face.

Chloe snorted, "You've been here four years and you're only asking now?"

"Yes." Karen replied bluntly.

Chloe gave her a weird look, "Our Lacrosse team is really good."

"Is it really good? Or do the other teams just really suck?"

Chloe snorted, "We've won a bunch of championships."

"Ah." Karen nodded as she watched the team members wandering out onto the field. "So our football team sucks then?"

Chloe sighed, "I don't even think we have a football team anymore."

Karen watched the people on the field without a care in the world. Chloe was watching number 16, which must be Jared. Or was it James?

"Who are all these people?" Karen asked, deciding it was probably polite to at least pretend to care.

"The captain is Jackson Whittemore." Chloe pointed, "He's good - really good - but he's an ass. Danny Mahealani is usually the goalie, but they got some other kid in there right now. They're trying out for first line, but most of the team is made of sophomores and juniors. I think James is the only Senior."

Karen shook her head at the influx of information, coming too just in time to see the goalie twist his body quickly to make an impossible catch in the goalie net.

"He seems good." Karen shrugged.

Chloe squinted her eyes, "I think that's jaw guy."

"Jaw guy?" Karen snorted.

Chloe blushed, "Yeah - I don't know his actual name, but his jaw is kind of uneven…."

Karen blinked at the ginger girl and shook her head, chuckling lightly, "You're not too bad."

* * *

Work was strangely busy the next day.

At least half of the patients had visitors, which seriously hampered on Karen's ability to do her job. Nobody wants to see their love ones spoon fed mashed peas. So most of the day was spent fiddling with her phone by her cart as she waited for families to slowly leave so she could changed sheets and clean the rooms.

She could see someone moving towards her down the hall and she subconsciously moved out of the way, but didn't look up from her cell phone.

The person stopped beside her cart.

Karen raised an eyebrow and looked up.

The guy standing in front of her looked like one of the murderers on the late night reruns of Law & Order with his thick eyebrows and slightly too big leather jacket. He was handsome but any sort of attraction she might have towards him was put off by the complete and total 'back off' vibe he had.

"Can I help you?" Karen asked cautiously.

The man stared at her unblinking for a few moments before clearing his throat, "I'm looking for my uncles room - Peter Hale."

Karen stared at him for a few second, "You were a lot prettier when you were here before."

The man frowned, "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry." Karen sighed, "I'm not as funny as I think I am. Someone else came to see Peter earlier this week." She pointed down the hall, "He's down there, last room on the left."

The man hesitated, "Someone else…a woman?"

"Yeah."

The man reached into his bag and pulled out a picture, his lips pursed as he shows it to her, "Is this her?"

Karen frowned but looked at the picture, nodding, "Yeah that's her."

The man sighed lowly, and without another word pushed past her and walked into his uncles room.

"Nice talking to you." She mumbled, turning back to her game of solitaire.

* * *

Apparently one lacrosse game had been all it had taken for Chloe to officially adopt her as her new best friend. Once in a fit of annoyance Karen had snapped for the girl to hang out with her other friends. Chloe had blushed and stuttered that she didn't really have any and Karen was apparently a nice enough person to let the girl continue to trail after her.

It was weird though. Chloe was _nice_. Karen didn't have nice friends. Even when she was a child her and her friends seemed to have 'bitch' tattooed across their foreheads. But Chloe didn't seem to notice it and constantly clung to her with a wide smile and cute freckles.

So it wasn't a huge surprise when, at the end of the week, Chloe ran up to her locker with the same enthusiasm that she did with almost everything.

"Are you going to Lydia Martin's party tonight?"

Karen sighed, yanking her Chemistry textbook out of her locker, "Maybe?" She wrinkled her nose, "Isn't it a bit weird to go to a sophomore party?"

"Unless it's Lydia Martin's party." Chloe corrected.

Karen closed with locker, "Isn't it at her boyfriends house? Whittemore?"

"Whittemore's a complete push over when it comes to her." Chloe snorted, "It's still her party."

Karen nodded, and they started to walk through the halls toward the classroom, "I guess I'll go. But I swear if there isn't at least two other seniors there I'm leaving."

Chloe blinded her with a smile, "Deal."

* * *

It turns out there were a lot more than two seniors. In fact, it seemed that most of Karen's grade had shown up and we're dancing to some obscure house party dance track and drinking obscene amounts of alcohol.

"What are you doing?" Karen gapped at Chloe as she sloshed vodka into her solo cup, filling it almost half way.

Chloe shrugged, "Drinking?"

"I swear to god." Karen groaned, grabbing her cup, holding it up, "This is a ticket to the hospital to get your stomach pumped."

She dumped the vodka onto a drunk Junior, who just cheer and yelled something about shots before running into the crowd. Karen snorted and moved back to the drinks.

"Here." She grabbed a shot glass, filling it up and pouring it into the cup before filling the rest up with orange juice.

Chloe accepted the drink with a small thanks, and sipped at it, "Thanks. How do you know how to make drinks."

"My dad was a drunk." Karen said bluntly, starting to mix her own rum and Diet Pepsi. "Eventually he couldn't be bothered to make his own drinks, so he taught his six year old daughter to do it."

"I…" Chloe opened and closed her mouth a few times before settling on, "I don't really know what to say to that."

Karen snorted, "That's fine. No one does."

She took a huge gulp of her drink and looked around the party. She spotted the guy that Chloe said she liked standing by himself in the corner, swaying slightly.

She yelled to Chloe over the music, "You should go talk to Jared."

Chloe blinked, "Who?"

Karen pointed, "Jared, over there."

Chloe turned, spotting him, and then whipped her head back, "You mean James? No, no, I couldn't."

"Sure you could." Karen nodded, but looking back it seemed like 'James' was about to pass out. She pursed her lips and filled up a solo cup with just orange juice, handing it to Chloe, "He looks like he about to pass out - give him that."

Chloe nodded and drowned the rest of her drink, grabbing the cup and juice and strutted across the party with a look of determination.

Karen snorted and poured herself a few shots, ready to get drunk enough to actually have fun. She turned around and spotted several people that she knew from around the school. She couldn't name any of them, then again the other day she called Chloe 'Cameron' - she'd never been good at names.

She saw the sophomore kid from the Lacrosse team who she'd dubbed 'jaws' because she thought it was funny. He was dancing with a pretty brunette who Karen had never seen before in her life.

She sighed and downed another drink before heading out into the crowd. She bobbed around absentmindedly to the music, trying to blend into the crowd of people. Chloe was chatting with a much more sober looking James and gave her a thumbs up. Karen gave her a terse grin in return, and a thumbs up in return.

She spotted a flash of leather and turned to mentally make fun of whoever was wearing leather in the summer when she saw the same creep that had been at the clinic earlier in the day.

She chuckled and moved over to him, her semi-drunken state making her a lot braver than usual.

"Hey!" She yelled to him over the music.

He blinked down at her, looking confused that she was talking to him. Finally after a few moments a flash of recognition entered his eyes and he scowled.

"You're the one from the clinic." He noted.

"Yeah." Karen chuckled, "And you're the guy I'm only about 80% sure is _not_ a serial killer."

He didn't laugh, in fact his face didn't show any emotion whatsoever. "What're you doing at a high school party?" He asked.

Karen snorted loudly and rudely, "I'm in high school. What're you doing here weirdo."

He scowled again, "I thought you were a nurse."

"I'm an orderly." Karen correctly, "I just change the sheets and make sure you're uncle eats his veggies.

He nodded absentmindedly, looking into the crowd, "Thanks for taking care of him."

Karen couldn't help the sliver of surprise that came over her. He sounded genuine, but it was hard to tell with his regular scowl.

"So what _are_ you doing here?" Karen asked, sipping at her drink.

The man let out a breathe of annoyance, "I'm waiting for a friend."

"Who?"

"Scott McCall."

"No idea who that is." Karen replied.

The man closed his eyes in aggravation, "Yes, you're very helpful. Now don't you have some friends to go play with?"

"I'm eighteen, not five." She snorted.

She turned at a sudden commotion and saw Jaws running through the crowd, pushing past everyone as he made for the front door - the pretty brunette trailing behind him.

The man beside her huffed under his breath. He started to make his way towards the house to follow the sophomore.

"What's your name?" Karen called after him.

He didn't reposed, not looking back as he rushed out of the house.

Karen snorted into her cup, "Jackass."

* * *

An orderly comes in once a day, either a man in his thirties with shaggy brown hair and a pair of headphones in his ears, or a young woman with messy blond hair always done up in a bun on the top of her head.

Honestly he preferred the blond woman. The man with the brown hair was dull, his eyes glazed over as he did his work like a zombie. But the woman would talk to him, even though she knew he'd never respond. He enjoyed her bluntness and the way she teased him - not walking on egg shells or speaking to him like a child.

He even preferred her to his nurse, though Jennifer knew about his…predicament. The orderly woman wasn't sacred of him, and it was…refreshing.

There was a knock at the door and he brought his face back to its usual blankness.

"Hey there Mr. Hale." The orderly, Miss Davidson, spoke as she propped open the door and brought the cart in. She sniffed the air once, much like a wolf would, and wrinkled her nose, "Air's a bit stale - doesn't your nurse ever open your window?"

Peter hadn't really thought about it - he'd gone running last night, Jennifer covering for him. It had felt nice after six years of confinement. But soon he had tired and needed to come back to the clinic. His body still wasn't 100% healed, but it would be a matter of weeks with his new Alpha status, rather than the years it would have taken before.

Miss Davidson wandered over to the window, pushing it upwards. Her blue scrubs were a bit small on her and they lifted up, exposing her lower back where he couldn't help but focus on two dimples with rhinestone piercings in them. It was surprisingly attractive.

"There." Ms. Davidson nodded, looking pleased with herself.

She walked over to the bed and made quick work of the sheets, tossing them into the laundry basket and then started to dust all the other surfaces int he room - the same as she did every day.

"So." She started to talk, "I met another one of your relatives. David? Derek? I think he's your nephew, right?"

Peter didn't respond outwardly, but inside he felt a weird spark of…something.

"Yeah he's about as emotionally responsive as you are." She snorted, "But he's got a pretty face - something he must get from your side of the family." She winked over-dramatically and he chuckled along mentally.

She put the cloth and spray back onto the cart and smiled at him, moving around so that she faced him, a curtesy that not many others offered him.

"Alright, I'm gonna go get dinner. It's meatloaf night, and.." She paused, her brown eyes narrowed in confusion. She leaned forward and reached for something behind his neck. A loose strand of her hair escaped her bun and fell slightly in his face.

She smelt like…tea, english breakfast - the kind that Talia used to drink every morning. And grapefruit and a hint of…something he couldn't identify.

She leaned back, frowning as she looked down at the thing in her hand, a dried leaf that had been caught in the collar of his sweater.

"Did Jennifer take you out today?" She frowned, twirling the leaf in her hands.

Peter smirked inwardly, taking a strange pleasure in watching her confusion.

After all, being in a situation like his he needed to take his enjoyment from the little things.

* * *

**A/N: Welcome to the OC-stravaganza. In which I post all the OC fics I found on my computer half finished and that I didn't just outright delete. This story is actually one of my more completed fics that I found so there's a large chance I'll update it sooner, but I'm not gonna promise anything. Which fics I update depend on which ones end up being the most popular.**

**People from my actual fics that I haven't updated in a while do not interact.**

**everyone is free to check me out on tumblr amarysue. **

**Until Next Time,**

**Amary**


	2. Chapter 2

Karen dreamt that she was running through the forest.

She woke up with a snort, and quickly noticed that she'd been drooling in her sleep. She grimaced, wiping her mouth and quickly getting up.

She wandered into the living room and grabbed the TV remote, turning it on. Buying basic cable had been the one non-necessities that she'd splurged on. It turned onto the local channel where some girl in too much makeup was giving the news.

Karen walked into the kitchen the turned on the coffee machine as she watched the television. She grabbed a thermos and quickly filled it.

She took the bus to school as it was pretty hard to afford rent and a car while jugging work and school. She sat next to a quiet dark-skinned boy who she adored if only fr the fact that he never tried to start conversation with her.

The day progressed like normal. Harris was a dick, Chloe was hyper and loud, and everyone was talking loudly about the lacrosse practice the night before in which some kid had busted up the captain's arm. Apparently thoughts on the matter went from minor threats towards the kid, and thrill that Whittemore had gotten his ass handed to him for once.

Karen was lucky enough to have a double spare right after lunch on Tuesdays, but she was without a mode of transportation, so was stuck at the school anyway. She supposed her grades would thank her in the long run as she grabbed her chemistry textbook and wandered towards the library.

As she wandered down the empty hallway she heard the sound of a door shutting and jumped, turning around to get a face full of leather.

She blinked up one Derek Hale, who she had definitely not googled in order to get his first name. He was staring down at her with the same confusion that was probably on her face.

"Do I want to know why you're here?" She asked, frowning.

Derek actually looked a bit perturbed, "I was just dropping something off for a…friend."

"Right." Karen gave him a weird look, then moved around him, "Well I'm gonna go. You should visit your uncle again some time soon. he doesn't really say it, but I know he enjoys it."

She didn't give him enough time to reply before walking into the library.

* * *

"Karen." Nurse Patty came over to her, holding a yellow form for something that Karen didn't really deal with. "Do you mind going up to the Nurse's station and seeing if they could photocopy this for us?"

Karen sighed, and grabbed it, "Sure, not like I was doing anything." She bit out sarcastically.

Patty gave her a large grandmotherly smile, either missing the sarcasm or ignoring it. Karen sighed, and parked her cart on the side of the isle and started to walk to the station.

It was slightly busy in the hall, several people settled into various chairs, including Lydia Martin who was flipping through a magazine idly. She briefly wondered why she never forgot her name. She supposed it was against some cosmic rule. Nobody forgot Lydia Martin.

She walked up to the nurse desk and handed the yellow form, "Can I get this photocopied."

"Sure dear." The woman on the other side smiled at her, "How many."

Karen had no idea, "Um…twenty-five?" She guessed.

The woman nodded and went off to do her work.

"Karen?" A voice spoke up from beside her. "Karen Davidson?"

Karen turned to see what looked like a freshman with a buzz cut grinning at her.

She gave him a fake smile, "Who are you?"

He blinked, but then pointed at himself energetically, "It's Stiles? Stilinski we uh…" He cleared his throat, "We had French together last year?"

"We did?" She frowned, wondering what a freshman was doing in a Junior level French class. She'd only taken it for the easy credit, letting it slide that she'd been fluent in French since she was a child.

"Yes." The freshman nodded, "We were project partners….twice."

Now it was her turn to blink at him, "Oh…I, uh…" She shook her head, "I don't do names…or faces."

"I can see that." He chuckled awkwardly. He cleared his throat, looking around the hospital, "So what brings you here?"

Karen looked down at her scrubs, and gave him a dubious look. "I work here."

"Oh right." He nodded, pointing at her, "Yes with the scrubs and the…name tag. Aren't you a little young?"

"I'm eighteen." She said dryly. She wanted nothing more than to just get back to work, but the nurse was taking an annoying amount of time to get her forms. Stiles was standing there awkwardly, his eyes flickering to Lydia Martin every now and again.

Karen took pity on him, "So what're you here for?"

"What?" He twisted back to look at her, seeming shocked that she was talking to him. It took him a few seconds to respond, "Oh, yeah Scott, my friend Scott - he's visiting his mom. She's a nurse I'm just…waiting for him."

A memory of the party on Friday came to mind, "Oh you mean Jaws?"

"Jaws?" Stiles blinked, "Do people seriously call him that?"

"No." Karen corrected, "Just me…It's not as cool as it sounds. His jawline…is crooked. 'Jaw Guy' was too much of a mouth-full."

Stiles snorted, actually looking amused.

"Yeah, I generally give people nicknames, cause I can't remember names." She confessed.

"Really?" Stiles stood up a bit straighter, "What's your nickname for me?"

"Freshman." She replied without blinking.

He frowned, "I'm a Sophomore."

Karen shrugged, "I thought you were a freshman when I gave you the nickname. It's gonna stick."

He didn't look as impressed, "Any other nicknames?"

Karen just snorted, "Jaw's friend Hale. I call him 'Jackass'." Actually she called him 'Peter's Nephew', but he didn't need to know that.'

Freshman choked on his own spit, holding his chest, "What? You know Derek?"

"Know is a strong word." Karen snorted, "But yeah I've run into him a few times. Does he always hang out around the high school?"

"He was at the high school." HIs voice went squeaky.

The nurse took that time to come back with the forms, handing the pile to Karen with a smile, "Here you go sweetheart."

"Thanks." Karen nodded at her, then turned to look at Stilinski, "Well this has been…weird."

"Wait!" Stiles stopped her with his hand. Karen looked at the hand gripping her with a weird look, but didn't make him remove it. He looked a bit strange, "Don't talk to that guy, alright. He's bad news."

Karen pursed her lips, but nodded raising her eyebrows, "Sure thing Fish."

She started to walk away, Stiles yelling at her back, "I liked freshman better!"

* * *

The next morning when Karen flipped on the news, Derek Hales face was plastered all over it.

"_In other news, Derek Hale has been arrested after human remains were discovered on his property. The remains have been linked to the body discovered last week by several joggers. Sources say that an anonymous call lead police to the rest of the remains early this morning._"

"You sure know how to pick 'em Karen." She snorted to herself, setting her coffee mug on the counter.

* * *

"Hey!"

Karen turned, closing the locker as she stared at the kid standing behind her. She looked at him blankly for a few moments before it clicked.

"Right, Fish." She nodded, pointing at him.

"Stiles." He corrected, then shook his head, "We _just_ talked yesterday."

"I told you, I'm not good with faces." She shrugged. "What d'you want anyway?"

"Oh yeah." He continued as he suddenly remembered why he'd come over, "Did you hear the news this morning?"

"About the accident in the cafeteria?" Karen said absentmindedly as she walked.

"Wha- No!" Stiles groaned.

"Oh, then the thing with Derek Hale. Yeah I heard."

"Good." He nodded, grinning, "Just remember what I said last night."

"That he was bad news." Karen recalled, "Yes, I remember. Good call."

He sighed, finally realizing that that was all he was going to get from her, "Well then. Good."

Karen gave him a tight smile, "Well Fish, nice talk but I need to go to chemistry before Harris skins me."

Stiles took one look at his watch before yelping, and started to run off. Before the end he stopped and turned back.

"Hey, are you going to the lacrosse game tonight?"

Karen paused narrowing her eyes suspiciously, "Why?"

"It's just.." Stiles flinched, "You probably shouldn't. Called it another…good call."

"Alright." Karen looked at him sarcastically.

He nodded, mumbling something to himself, before wandering off to class.

* * *

Chloe sat next to her in class, giving heart eyes to James who was sitting on the other side of the room - giving her heart eyes back. It was sickening.

"You know." Karen sat down next to her, "you've been a lot less annoying since you two started dating."

Chloe frowned, "You think I'm annoying."

"Yes." Karen said with a straight face, "But I kinda like it. It's weird when you're not annoying."

Chloe looked weirdly pleased.

"There's a game tonight." She said with a grin.

"Uh, no." Karen shook her head, "I have to work tonight."

"Oh, come on!" Chloe groaned, "It's the first game of the season!"

"Yes, and Im a week behind on my rent." Karen sighed, that other bank account was getting terribly attractive to her.

"Oh yeah." Chloe nodded, "I forgot you live by yourself. Where'd you get your apartment."

"Um…" Karen cleared her throat, "Technically it was my Grandfathers…but well, he died. And I never really…told the landlord."

Chloe gapped, "Is that illegal?"

"Yup." Karen chuckled, "Don't tell anyone."

Chloe looked a bit dumbfounded, "Yeah, no…my lips are sealed."

"So, sorry but no dice." Karen continued, "I really gotta work."

"Fine." Chloe sighed, "I'll text you who wins."

Karen honestly didn't care who won or lost but nodded anyway, "Sure - whatever."

* * *

"Here you go." Karen grinned widely as she brought in a tray of food. She placed it on the table in his room, then moved to wheel Peter's chair to the table, "Eat up."

Peter started to eat the meal with slow methodical movements, his eyes still staring straight ahead, She had no idea how he managed to eat as neatly as he did without watching, must be a talent.

She grinned at him and then moved to strip his bed as he ate, frowning as she did, "Did they not changed your sheets yesterday? They're covered in dirt."

No response.

Karen sighed and continued on her work, humming under her breathe.

She gathered up the sheets in her arms and turned back to the cart, only to screech and drop all the sheets as she gripped her chest.

"Sorry." Derek Hale said, not looking very sorry.

"Sorry?" Karen snapped, glaring at him, "Aren't you supposed to be in prison?!"

He walked into the room, looking at his Uncle sadly, "I was cleared. The cornered said that she died of an Animal attack and so…"

"They figure out who the girl was yet?" She asked absentmindedly, continuing on her work.

Derek didn't respond right away. He just walked over to his uncle and watched him eat.

"Do you think he's happy?" Derek asked.

Karen brought out a new sheet and winced, "That depends…do you want the answer the nurse will give you, or the truth."

"The truth." He had no hesitation.

Karen plopped the new sheets on his bed, before turning to Derek with her hands on her hips, "I think he's probably miserable."

Derek winced, clapping his hands on Peters shoulder, "I wish there was something to make him happier…he's my only family left."

"Can I be honest with you?" Karen asked him.

Derek nodded.

"I like Peter." She smiled at the wheelchair bound man, "He doesn't ever talk back or give any indication that he can hear me but…but I dunno, I just get this weird feeling that he's listening to me. No many people do that nowadays. If you want him to be happier, I'd take him home."

Derek looked ready to argue, but Karen interrupted him.

"I mean it. It'll be work, but it's not like he's in a coma. He's still very much aware of his surroundings. In fact I bet he's in there right now bitching about how we're talking about him like he's not here."

"That sounds like him." Derek nodded.

"I'm sure he'd be much happier in an actual home, with actual family." She noted.

Derek didn't respond, just wincing and looking down.

Karen paused, looking at Derek with a frown forming on her face, 'Wait…when you said Peter…was your only family."

Derek clenched her jaw and glared at the wall.

"It was…the body….?"

"My sister." He nodded, "It's…part of the reason I got cleared."

Karen winced, but stopped talking, her bad bedside manner hitting her in the face full force. She continued to make the bed, fitting the corners and then putting the bed into place.

"By the way." Derek stood up, patting his uncle once more on the shoulder, "I told the police that Laura was here, and that you talked to her so they're probably going to come down and ask you some questions."

Karen nodded, "Okay." Usually she would come back in an hour or so when she was finished feeding the other patients, but Peter had finished now, so she grabbed his tray and put it back on the cart. "I hate to be rude but…visiting hours ended like…an hour ago. Im about to lock up for the night."

"It's kind of early for him to sleep isn't it?" Derek asked.

Karen nodded, "Like I said. Peter can take care of himself. He'll wander into bed once he's tired."

Derek nodded, and followed her out into the hall.

"You should stay away from the preserve tonight." Derek warned, "Every night, actually."

Karen nodded, giving him a weird look, "Yes I'll stay away from my midnight jogs through the preserve." She snorted.

Derek didn't seem to catch her sarcasm as he nodded once, and turned to walk down the hall.

* * *

Just as Derek said, when Karen showed up to work the next day The sheriff was standing in the lobby of the hospital, chatting with one of the nurses.

Karen swallowed and went to sign in, ignoring the cops. She figured they'd approach her whenever, so she started to go about her day.

She was right, as usual, and barely fifteen minutes into her shift, the Sheriff, followed by two deputies all in their beige uniforms, walked up to her cart.

"Excuse me." The sheriff started, and Karen looked up at him, "I'm Sheriff Stilinski, I was hoping I could ask you a few question."

"About the dead girl." Karen replied bluntly, only a little bit embarrassed that she couldn't remember her name.

"Yes." Stilinski nodded, not bothered by her bluntness, "We have a witness putting the victim here the night she was killed."

Karen rolled her eyes. Thanks Hale. "Yes, yes. She showed up here that night to see her Uncle."

The Sheriff nodded, "Well then, you and Mr. Hale are officially the last people to see Laura Hale alive."

Karen's face dropped. She hadn't known that, "Wait seriously?"

"Yes." The Sheriff sighed, "Time of death occurred only an hour after she signed in at the desk the night she died. It must've happened right after she left."

"Well I was here for another two hours after I talked to her, you can ask my boss-"

"It's fine." The Sheriff gave her a slight smile, "Your alibi has already been confirmed. I would, however, like to talk to Mr. Hale, if that's all right."

"Um, well…" Karen winced, "That'll be a bit of a one-sided conversation."

The sheriff looked confused, so Karen lead him down the hall into Peters room. She knocked, something she only did to let Peter know that they were coming in.

She let the Sheriff walk in first, and then followed behind him, frowning at the darkness of the room. She wandered over to the window and opened the blinds, letting in the sun.

"He's been like this since the fire." Karen explained to the sheriff. "He's catatonic they think…honestly they're not entirely sure…"

"So there's no way he'll know anything I suppose." He rubbed his hand over his face.

Karen shrugged, "Who knows. Not like he could tell you either way." She paused and bit her lip, "If you don't mind me asking, I thought it was an animal attack?"

The Sheriff nodded, his eyebrows furrowed, "Yeah something just…I just needed the statements."

Karen nodded, "Alright, if that's all I need to get back to work now."

He nodded, then held out a card, "Look, I know that officially it was an animal attack…but if anything comes to mind, give me a call."

Karen took the card and gave him a mock salute.

* * *

**A/N: Shorter chapter, but I decided to split up a longer chapter. Thank you to everyone for the response for the last chapter.**

**Until Next Time,**

**Amary**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Broken Glass and ****Cosmopolitan**

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Karen asked, peeking over a crowd of heads to get a better look at the school bus. The entire back of the bus had been ripped off and covered in blood. She hoped it was animal blood.

Chloe, who was standing in front of her on her tip toes unable to see anything jumped, twisting to see Karen right behind her.

"Don't scare me like that." Chloe breathed out, pressing a manicured hand to her chest. She was particularly bubbly looking today, with a red skirt and white shirt covered in cherries. Her lips were bright pink and her red hair up in a tall ponytail. Karen looked a bit grungy compared to her, in jeans and a band shirt with ratty shoes. She wasn't wearing any makeup having woke up late and rushed to school.

Karen ignored her moving closer to look at the scene, "That's my bus." She noticed, frowning, "I was wondering why they sent a different bus this morning."

Chloe was only half paying attention, "How could you tell?"

"The lighter burns I left in the seat weren't there."

Chloe scoffed, shaking her head, "You're going to get arrested one of these days."

"You assume I haven't been already."

Chloe looked at her with wide eyes, "Have you?"

"No, but I'm thinking i should give it a shot." She joked, readjusting her backpack on her shoulder.

Chloe choked and turned around, "Okay I've seen enough - we need to get to class."

* * *

He killed the first one last night. The bus driver had been the easiest to track down. The man had snuck onto the bus where he hid a stash of pot that he'd sold to teenagers. It had been simple enough for him to pin down the man and call his beta for the kill.

Scott had come quickly enough, but it seemed that his hold over the beta wasn't very strong - even in the state he was in last night the boy had refused to kill the man.

He'd been in a rage, and Scott refusal to take part in the kill had set him off, causing him to attack his beta. Scott had run off quickly after that to lick his wounds and return home.

But now he understood better. Poor Scott didn't understand _why_ he was killing the man. He didn't understand the _truth_. The teenager hadn't wanted to kill what he perceived as an innocent man.

Under normal circumstances Peter would be pleased to have a beta that was brave enough to second guess him - one that would give his opinions freely. But this was not the time for that. Right now he needed soldiers. Ones to follow orders blindly.

He frowned, knowing there was nobody here to see him. He would have to leave Scott out of it for now. Give him some time to adapt. Derek would teach him - that boy had a guilt complex a mile wide. He would feel responsible for the kid on some level.

He smelt a burst of grapefruit and tea and turned his head slightly. He could see the hall from the reflection of the mirror and he watched with a soft smile as the blond haired orderly walked past.

Her conversation with Derek had been enlightening. The fact that she had thought about his happiness at all was surprising. She thought he'd be happier at a home, with family. Little did she know that the only home he'd ever known was gone along with his family. There was nothing that would make him happy except the death of everyone involved.

He wondered how Miss Davidson would think about that? Would she be as eager for his happiness if she knew that it entailed half a dozen deaths..maybe more? He imagined for a moment that she'd be fine with it. She'd encourage it even, if it meant his happiness. Help him even.

He hummed to himself in slight contentment at the thought. He had't had anyone think about his happiness in a long time.

* * *

Karen sighed as she got off the city-bus about two blocks from her apartment. The night was cold, but nowhere near as cold as the frigid winters she remembered from her childhood. It was times like this that she wondered if it was worth dragging her Grandfathers old car out of storage and using it.

She shivered as she walked through the suburbia, past the several bunching of apartment buildings - most of them looking worse for wear. Her building was probably the nicest in the crappy neighbourhood. She could hear a dog barking in the distance and a few parties that she was sure held illegal substances.

She heard the sound of crashing garbage cans and jumped, turning around. She could see the bins on the ground, garbage strewn. She grumbled about rodents, but subconsciously walked a little bit faster.

She let out a little breathe when she finally got home, but shook her head. She'd never been scared walking home before. The people around here might be…strange, but they'd never bothered her before.

She was probably just overtired - she'd worked nearly eight hours after school, she just wanted to collapse on her bed.

Her stomach rumbled and she wandered into her kitchen. She quickly dropped her coat onto a chair and wandered to the fridge.

Only to stop.

Sitting on her counter was a single fruit. She frowned, picking it up. It was an orange or something - either way she couldn't remember ever buying it.

She blinked at it for a few moments before shrugging. Her memory wasn't really that good. She took a knife from the drawer and cut a slice, taking a bite.

How about that. It was a grapefruit.

She hated grapefruit.

* * *

"Hey, you have a car right?" Karen asked Chloe the next day.

Chloe nodded, looking at her suspiciously, "Yes. You need a ride?"

"No." Karen wrinkled her nose, "I don't do 'rides'. I just wanted to know how much it costs…thereabouts?"

"Well," Chloe frowned, "Gas is pricy, but its insurance that'll get you."

Karen waved her hand, "Whatever."

"Karen, do _not_ drive without insurance, I swear to god!" Chloe turned her whole body to look at her, "Do you even have your license?"

"Yes!" Karen said, but seeing Chloe's glare she rolled her eyes, "No!"

Chloe narrowed her eyes, "If you get arrested I'm not bailing you out."

"Ditto." Karen nodded back to her.

Chloe chuckled warmly, shaking her head as they walked into the cafeteria, "You hear they pulled someone out of the bus? He was still alive."

"He was like...conscious right?" Karen asked nervously.

Chloe gave her a weird look, "Yes?"

"Good, we don't have enough room for another patient at the long-term clinic."

Chloe sighed loudly, "I worry about you sometimes."

They found a table and sat down, and Karen pulled out her packed lunch, "Probably the same thing that killed that girl." She mused before pausing, wondering if that had been what had shaken the bins last night. She shook her head, not dwelling on it. "I don't see why everyone cares so much."

"Oh come on." Chloe egged her on, "This is the most interesting thing to happen to this town since…" She paused, her eyebrows furrowing together, "The last time someone died viciously, I suppose."

"A lot of people die here, don't they?" Karen frowned.

Chloe waved her hand, "We're a small town surrounded by wilderness, things happen. Anyway, something new will happen soon - like the fact that Lydia Martin is sitting with Jaw Guy."

Karen turned to see that she was right. She saw Fish there as well looking very uncomfortable and twitching slightly. Jaws was staring at the girl to his right like she hung the moon or something.

"Does she not normally sit there?"

Chloe shook her head slightly, "You're hopeless, you know that?"

* * *

Karen stood in the gas station with a jerry can and a two litre of diet soda as she looked through the latest addition of Cosmo with a smirk. The guy behind the counter was looking annoyed, probably wanting her to pay so she could go back to playing Angry birds on his phone.

A bright shiny car pulled into the station and Karen was momentarily distracted. At least until Derek Hale stepped out of it, and then she just wrinkled her nose and went back to her Cosmo.

About five minutes latter the guy behind the counter growled at her, "Look lady, this isn't a library. If you wanna read it you gotta buy it."

Karen rolled her eyes, pulling out the magazine and walking up to the counter with the jerry can and the two litre, "Fine."

He rung her up and Karen absentmindedly watched Derek Hale. He was talking to some older guy and his friends outside - it didn't look very friendly, but then again, Hale didn't look like someone who instigated friendly relationships.

She paid quickly and was about to leave when the sound of shattering glass made her jump.

She turned in time to see that one of the guys who'd been talking to Derek had smashed in his window.

"Jesus." Karen gapped, then turned to the guy working the gas bar, "You gonna call the cops?"

He peeked over his phone just in time to see the SUV full of guys drive off, "They're gone. If the guy want to press charges it's up to him."

Karen rolled her eyes and grabbed her items, moving out to the front of the station. She moved up to Derek who was wiping the glass shards off the seat of his car with annoyance.

"That sucks." Karen pointed out, shifting her grip on the jerry can, moving towards a tank and slowly starting to fill it up.

Derek looked up, then looked down at the can with a frown. "What're you doing here?"

"Getting gas." She motioned to the can she was filling, "Why does anyone come here?"

He frowned, "There's no other cars here."

"Hence the Jerry Can." She snorted, "The car's been in storage for a while, so Im just getting gas to get it running."

"How're you getting to storage?" He asked.

She shrugged, pulling the can away, closing it up and pulled out her card to pay quickly, "The bus."

"I don't think they'll let you take that on a bus."

Karen sighed, looking down, "I didn't really think about that."

Derek groaned deeply, looking to be in physical pain, "I can give you a ride."

Karen smirked, "Okay once more, but this time say it without looking like you're passing a kidney stone."

He rolled his eyes and moved to get the rest of the glass out of the car, "Take it or leave it."

Karen pursed her lips, "It's just…I don't do 'rides'."

"What?"

"It's a thing." She shifted uncomfortably.

He rolled his eyes, "Look, just get in the car."

"Fine!" Karen glared, "But now I owe you!"

"No, you don't."

"Yes! I do. That's the only way I can do this. I need to owe you something so….here." She handed him the Cosmo.

Derek looked at it with a scowl, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"I don't care." Karen shrugged, "I've already read it - I just bought it to spite the gas bar guy."

Derek looked at it with a wrinkled nose, but grabbed it and tossed it into the back of the car, "Get in."

Karen grinned and got into the passenger side, looking at the interior with a grin. "Nice car."

"Thanks." Derek said dryly.

The drive to the storage unit was dead silent, which was oddly comfortable. Much like the boy on the bus Karen found that they had a camaraderie in silence.

He pulled up to the unit she described and she got out, quickly opening up the garage. She dragged the can over to the car, a wood panelled car from the 70s or 80s that miraculously still ran. She opened the gas tank and tipping the can to slowly fill up the tank.

"What's all this?" Derek asked, looking around at the dozen or so dusty boxes and furniture that filled the unit.

She turned to look at him with a frown, "Storage."

"I got that." He had a look on his face that Karen was familiar with. The 'why do I deal with her' look.

Karen finished pouring in the gas and pulled the jerry can back, closing it and tossing it on one of the boxes, "My grandfather died, so I moved a bunch of his stuff here. This was his car, I figured i'd finally pull it out and actually use it."

"Why wait until now?" Derek asked, his voice a bit softer, "Sentimental reasons?"

Karen snorted, "No. I don't have a drivers license. But it's getting cold and I hate the bus."

Derek make a slightly aggravated sound, "Well, just check to make sure it runs so I can leave."

Karen held up her hands in surrender and slipped into the front seat, quickly starting it. It sputtered a few times and she held her breathe, but a second later it roared to life.

"Great." She turned to look at Derek, "You can go now."

"Fine." He grumbled, walking away, "Try not to wreck it the first time you drive it."

"Yeah whatever Mr.'_My-Car-Has-Working-Airbags_'."

He stopped for a moment, looking conflicted, but then just shook his head, got into his car, and zoomed off.

* * *

He'd gone to her house. Twice.

The first time it had been an inside joke, leaving the grapefruit on the counter. He supposed it wasn't funny, but it had amused him. He wish he'd been there to see her face, the way her eyebrows would bunch together in confusion as she stared at the fruit.

He gone again the night before. She hadn't worked that night and he'd barely restrained himself from ripping out the other orderly's throat. After he had been left alone for the night he'd had such an overwhelming need to see her that he'd called for Jennifer to let him out for the night.

Her apartment was small, and it smelled all wrong. The furniture was all old and stunk of mothballs. There were two bedrooms, but one was completely empty except for a few boxes.

Her room was cluttered and small. There was barely any floor space with a bed and a desk. He'd shifted back to his human form, looking around the room with interest. There were a few scattered stuffed animals that had seen better days, and some cheap plastic jewelry scattered on her desk, but other then that everything was modern and adult.

The sheets were Black with a deep red comforter. She had several framed paintings. The walls were just off white, and the window had black curtains that fell neatly to the floor.

He moved to the desk next to her bed and looked at the various papers and books on it. He picked up one and opened the front, seeing the 'Property of Beacon Hills High School' stamp on the cover.

He raised an eyebrow at that - she was much younger than she'd seemed.

He flipped over an assignment and looked at the front. Karen Davidson. The answer to the mystery of her first name.

He picked up a pink bracelet, it was old and some of the pink paint had worn off the beads. In the centre there was a cheap picture of Cinderella with a 'made in china' sign on the back.

He hummed to himself as he took it with him - sneaking out the window before she got home.

* * *

She didn't wreck the car.

Despite her lack of license she _did_ know how to drive. She'd taught herself back when she lived with her dad in Seattle. Too often had he spent weeks passed out drunk on the couch and eventually Karen had had to take matters into her own hands to pay the bills and buy groceries.

There was still the issue of her license and lack of insurance. She would have to be careful - avoid traffic stops. But she could do it.

Her apartment was cold when she entered. She frowned and checked the thermostat, wondering if she'd somehow turned on the air-conditioning. But after a few moments she noticed that it was still off, just the way she left it.

She wandered around, shivering, until she found the source of the chill.

Her bedroom window was open, the curtain fluttering around them as the cool night air came in. She reached forward and closed it, twisting the latch to lock it. She turned around and studied her room - nothing had been moved, taken. At least nothing of importance. She could see her computer and printer which only worked half the time. Nothing else in her room had any sort of monetary value so if the computer was still there she could assume nothing else was taken.

She must've opened it and forgotten she supposed.

She double checked the locks three more times before she went to bed.

* * *

**A/N: A very short chapter, but I couldn't seem to find to good place to cut it off, and the next chapter all needed to be together. Coming up next is Magic Bullet, one of my favourite episodes in season one and a lot longer of a chapter. hopefully I'll be able to get it up soon, but I have a few other fics I'm also working on updating.**

**Thank you guys for the support so far!**

**Until Next Time,**

**Amary**


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